The Cleveland Browns, with nothing left to play for, limp through the end of their schedule. They drop every game in the month of December — looking particularly uninspired while doing so — and run through their full depth chart and then some at quarterback.

The stage was set for another game like that Sunday as Cleveland limped into the regular-season finale against a Baltimore team that was fighting for its playoff life. Rookie QB Connor Shaw acquitted himself reasonably well given expectations and the meat grinder into which he was thrown. However, a late interception by Lardarius Webb sealed the 20-10 win for the Ravens, which put them into the playoffs.

That means all of the AFC North, except the Browns, advanced to postseason play.

The loss — Cleveland's fifth in a row — ensured another losing season at 7-9. It is the Browns' best record since 2007 (and could win the NFC South this year), but given their performance in the second half of the season, it feels like a plea bargain.

Brian Hoyer, who led the Browns to the brink of a playoff appearance and then played them out of it, was on the sidelines Sunday. However, his injured shoulder made him virtually unable to play. Johnny Manziel, the Heisman Trophy winner whose play for the Browns was likened to that of a fan who won a drawing, was placed on injured reserve this past week. The only thing he was throwing was parties.

So the Browns turned to Shaw, an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina who had spent the entire season on the practice squad. As insurance, the Browns signed Tyler Thigpen, who appeared in orange and brown in training camp before being cut, as a potential back-up. The team also reached out to Rex Grossman, who decided he'd rather go parasailing with his family than play quarterback for Cleveland. Or perhaps he knew that, the Browns being the Browns, another chance would come along.

Of all the QBs the Browns threw to the wolves as they were playing out the string, Shaw would be the most recent. He came out of the gate firing, completing a 9-yard pass to Terrance West on the team's second play from scrimmage. He then found Jordan Cameron downfield for a 30-yard gain that put the Browns into Ravens territory. But Shaw fumbled the ball two plays later on what appeared to be a snap for which he wasn't prepared.

Shaw went 14-of-28 for 177 yards, but accounted for both the Browns' turnovers. He also was sacked four times, which appeared to be equally because of his inexperience and the Browns' revolving door on the offensive line. Shaw is the third Browns QB to play this season; the team has used three centers since Alex Mack broke his leg in a win against Pittsburgh earlier in the year.

However, for the first three quarters Sunday, Shaw looked like the better QB. Ravens signal caller Joe Flacco whiffed on his first three pass attempts and was 14-of-27 going into the fourth quarter.

Shaw, meanwhile, led the Browns downfield in the third on an 80-yard, seven-play drive where he was 4-for-4, including a 49-yard completion to Taylor Gabriel that put Cleveland on Baltimore's 2-yard line. West, a Baltimore native, took the ball in for the score on the next play, putting the Browns up 10-3.

The Browns defense was giving a tremendous effort at that point as well, limiting the Ravens to three points through three quarters — including a great goal-line stand with four plays from the 1.

But the fourth quarter began with Spencer Lanning punting to the Ravens, pinning them at the 17. Flacco took the Ravens down to the Browns' 10 before Justin Tucker booted a 28-yard field goal to pull Baltimore within 10-6.

After holding Shaw and the Browns to a three-and-out, the Ravens made quick work of Cleveland's secondary on a two-play touchdown drive. Torrey Smith torched Joe Haden — who was playing despite the flu — on a 53-yard gain, and Flacco connected with Smith again on the next play for a 16-yard TD pass to give Baltimore the lead.

The Browns lost 5 yards on the ensuing drive, and punted again. The Ravens were able to cover 57 yards in six plays to add another TD for what turned out to be an insurmountable, 10-point lead.

The game ended with a collapse in the fourth, something to which Browns fans have become accustomed. The same could be said of the season: another winless December, running through QBs on the depth chart.

At least the coach hasn't been fired. Yet.

At a glance

•Playing short-handed: In addition to missing QBs Johnny Manziel and Brian Hoyer, the Browns also were without suspended wide receiver Josh Gordon. The team also placed rookie cornerback Justin Gilbert on the inactive list after he reportedly showed up late for a team meeting. "I'm not going to address those guys," coach Mike Pettine said. "To me, it's disrespectful to the guys who put the uniforms on (Sunday) and played their hearts out for the Cleveland Browns. … There were guys who didn't need to out there and play, who could have shut it down and didn't."

•Homecoming game: Rookie RB Terrance West, a Baltimore native, ran for 94 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries. He also added two catches for 12 yards.